Old EPROM questions again, EPROM Programmer

From: der Mouse <mouse_at_Rodents.Montreal.QC.CA>
Date: Thu Jul 29 14:37:34 2004

>> What about a big electric arc?
> Ben's idea is great. You just need an arc. There must be an arc
> welder around the place for maintenance. Even an arc from a low
> voltage, high current power supply would work well.

Assuming of course it can be maintained long enough to produce a
sufficient dose of UV.

> The best electrodes would of course be carbon but even an iron
> welding rod arc produces abundent UV across the entire spectrum.

Indeed, it splatters electromagnetic radiation across a very wide
range. Based on how hot it is (the core of the arc is plasma, not even
one of the normal three states of matter), the intensity curve is
probably still rising as the frequency leaves the range in question.

> Make sure to have something to block the UV from you. Eye and skin
> damage can happen with even a small arc.

And note that just because it's cut down to something that doesn't look
too bright ISN'T ENOUGH.

My father told of a time he had arc-welding to do with no proper
helmet/goggles available. He used about 15 pairs of sunglasses
instead, and it brought the intensity down to the point where it didn't
feel uncomfortably bright.

What he didn't realize is that a welding arc pumps out far more UV than
it does visible, and while a welding helmet cuts the UV down to safe
levels, sunglasses don't (sunlight contains, proportionately, far less
UV than welding-arc light). The visible light was indeed cut to safe
levels, but the UV wasn't, and he sunburned his eyes rather badly. His
comparison was that it was like living with a handful of sand in each
eye for a week - distinctly unfun, and who knows what long-term damage
it might have done.

Assuming you aren't around it enough to sunburn your skin, closing your
eyes is enough. Eyelids _do_ cut UV concentrations sufficiently. :)
(My father said that after that, whenever he's had to weld sans helmet,
he's set it up, closed his eyes, struck the arc and welded by feel and
sound, opening his eyes only after breaking the arc. It sounds
difficult, and it is, but I've done enough arc-welding myself to know
that it's plausible for someone with a decent amount of experience.)

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Received on Thu Jul 29 2004 - 14:37:34 BST